Blountstown, Florida | |
---|---|
Motto: "The Kingdom Of Opportunity" | |
Coordinates: 30°26′35″N85°2′43″W / 30.44306°N 85.04528°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Florida |
County | Calhoun |
Government | |
• Mayor | Tony Shoemake |
Area | |
• Total | 3.20 sq mi (8.28 km2) |
• Land | 3.19 sq mi (8.25 km2) |
• Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
Elevation | 62 ft (19 m) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 2,266 |
• Density | 711.01/sq mi (274.50/km2) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
ZIP code | 32424 |
Area code | 850 |
FIPS code | 12-06925 [2] |
GNIS feature ID | 0279006 [3] |
Website | blountstownfl |
Blountstown is a city and the county seat of Calhoun County, Florida, United States. . [4] As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 2,266.
Blountstown is named for John Blount, a Creek Indian [5] chief who served as a guide for General Andrew Jackson during his invasion of Spanish Florida in 1818. This invasion was not directed at Spain, per se, but at Seminole Indians who would attack settlements north of Florida, then retreat to relative safety below the border of Spanish Florida. Also, Spain did not return escaped slaves to the U.S. In any case, this invasion caused Spain to sell Florida to the United States, since it was apparent that Spain would have a hard time defending against invasion. Thus, this territory became a part of the U.S. in 1821. [6]
Blountstown was originally named for a Seminole Chief (John Blount), who had been awarded land in the vicinity by Andrew Jackson for aiding Jackson in his battles against the Native Americans. However, he was forced to move from Florida to Texas in the 1830s. He died soon after being relocated. [7]
In the late 1850s, there was an open and violent feud between two rival factions which included the local Durden family. At one point, the Durdens and their rivals had a "pitched battle" at the courthouse square in Blountstown. [8]
On October 10, 2018, Blountstown was nearly annihilated when Category 5 Hurricane Michael struck the town. [9] The city was without power for almost three weeks and over 80% of homes and businesses were heavily damaged or destroyed. Blountstown High School suffered heavy damage, but Blountstown Elementary School was completely destroyed. In addition, the local timber and farming industries, which are Calhoun County's largest industries, were completely destroyed, costing millions of dollars in economic loss. [10]
Blountstown is located at 30°26′35″N85°02′43″W / 30.442957°N 85.045402°W . [11]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2), of which 3.2 square miles (8.3 km2) is land and 0.31% is water.
Directly to the east lies Bristol in Liberty County. Blountstown and Calhoun County uses the Central Time Zone, as opposed to Liberty County which is in the Eastern Time Zone.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1910 | 546 | — | |
1920 | 863 | 58.1% | |
1930 | 1,270 | 47.2% | |
1940 | 1,931 | 52.0% | |
1950 | 2,118 | 9.7% | |
1960 | 2,375 | 12.1% | |
1970 | 2,384 | 0.4% | |
1980 | 2,632 | 10.4% | |
1990 | 2,404 | −8.7% | |
2000 | 2,444 | 1.7% | |
2010 | 2,514 | 2.9% | |
2020 | 2,266 | −9.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [12] |
As of the 2020 census, [13] Blountstown city had a population of 2,266 with 1,131 total households. There was a 47.0% employment rate and a median household income of $37,083. 28.6% of the population lived below the poverty threshold. The median age in the city was 38.0 years old.
The old Calhoun County courthouse was located in Blountstown and is currently listed as a historic Florida landmark. [14]
The city is home of the Calhoun Correctional Institution.
Calhoun County School District operates public schools.
Blountstown has three schools: Blountstown Elementary School, [15] servicing kindergarten through fifth grades; Blountstown Middle School for sixth through eighth; [16] and Blountstown High School for ninth through twelfth. [17]
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Calhoun County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,648, making it the fifth-least populous county in Florida. Its county seat is Blountstown.
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